Craig Anderson comes up short as Pittsburgh Penguins drop Ottawa Senators in shootout at the Bank

Ottawa Senators vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, Jan. 27

Ottawa Senators' Andre Benoit (61) fights off Pittsburgh Penguins' Joe Vitale (46) for the puck during the first period of NHL hockey action at Scotiabank Place in Kanata, Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. Darren Brown/Ottawa Sun/QMI Agency)

QMI

Ottawa Senators' Milan Michalek (9) fights off Pittsburgh Penguins' James Neal (18) for the puck during the first period of NHL hockey action at Scotiabank Place in Kanata, Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. Darren Brown/Ottawa Sun/QMI Agency)

Pittsburgh Penguins' goalie, Marc-Andre Fleury (29) makes a save while playing the Ottawa Senators' during the third period of NHL hockey action at Scotiabank Place in Kanata, Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. Darren Brown/Ottawa Sun/QMI Agency)

QMI

Ottawa Senators' Erik Karlsson (65) goes in on a breakaway while Pittsburgh Penguins' Paul Martin (7) during the third period of NHL hockey action at Scotiabank Place in Kanata, Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. Darren Brown/Ottawa Sun/QMI Agency)

Related Videos

Topics

The Senators No. 1 goaltender has saved his teammates plenty of times this season, but he was disgusted he couldn’t help them get the extra point in a 2-1 shootout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in front of 20,081 at Scotiabank Place.

Though Anderson made 33 stops in regulation, he came up a couple of saves short as all three Penguins - including Evgeni Malkin with the winner - scored in the skills contest to allow Pittsburgh to skate away with the extra point.

Goals in the shootout by Sidney Crosby, James Neal and Malkin left Anderson shaking his head, especially after Jason Spezza and Kyle Turris were able to beat Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury at the other end.

“We’re glad to get a point,” said Anderson, who made key saves off Matt Cooke and Crosby in regulation. “I let my guys down in the shootout by not being able to make a save. It’s unfortunate, but we got two out of three (on Fleury) and that should be good enough to win a shootout.

“I thought we did more than enough in the shootout to get the second point. I’m not happy with my performance. I feel like I can do more there. You have to make at least one (save) there. I’ve got to expect more out of myself. It’s a crapshoot: Some nights you may stop all three, some nights not any. Hopefully, we got all of those out of the way now.”

Only Senators winger Colin Greening and Pittsburgh’s James Neal were able to score in regulation. The game lacked flow at times, but both teams had chances to get the two points before this went to OT and couldn’t score.

With the exception of Anderson, most of the Senators were pleased to get away with the point. Captain Daniel Alfredsson was a scratch with a flu. Winger Guillaume Latendresse returned after missing Friday’s 6-4 loss to Tampa.

The Senators were pleased they didn’t give up much because that was the gameplan from coach Paul MacLean.

“We held arguably the best team in the East to one goal,” said centre Jason Spezza. “We didn’t want to get into a run-and-gun game. We did that. We couldn’t bury the second one. We get a point. It’s 50/50 when you go to a shootout.

“If it goes the other way we’re pretty happy. We played a little more defensive than we normally do. We’ve just got to be aware. They’ve got some dangerous players over there and you don’t want to open the game up too much.

“We did a good job of not giving them many chances. If you give guys like that too many chances, they’ll get rhythm, momentum and they’ll make plays out of nothing. We had to play a little more boring game, but I thought we did a good job. If we win the shootout, it’s perfect.”

MacLean said he was pleased with the effort, however, he had an animated discussion with his players during a timeout with 12 minutes left in the third. What was the message?

“Those are secrets you can’t just be giving those away for free,” said MacLean tongue-in-cheek. “It was more about making sure we executed with the puck.”

Defenceman Erik Karlsson indicated MacLean told the players to settle down with the game tied 1-1.

“We were running around a bit. We weren’t controlling the puck well enough,” said Karlsson. “We could have made a little better passes and been a bit more patient with the puck. He was just trying to calm us down a bit.”

A guy who benefitted from Alfredsson’s illness was Greening, who skated on a line with Spezza and Michalek. Greening scored his first of the season at 13:44 of the second by following Spezza to the net and picking up the rebound.

That tied it up 1-1 after Neal scored at 13:31 of the first.

“It was great. Last year, I was fortunate enough to play with those guys and it felt like old times,” said Greening.

The only element that could have made this night better for Greening and the Senators was two points.

SECOND PERIOD: Glove stop by Fleury on Gonchar ... Pad save by Fleury off Latendresse ... Glove stop on Letang by Anderson ... Anderson shorthanded breakaway ... Greening puts home the rebound going to the net ... Pad stop by Fleury on Condra from the circle ... Anderson pad save off Crosby alone.

SHOTS: PIT, 13, OTT 9

THIRD PERIOD/OT: Benoit for holding and Pens don’t get chance ... Fleury stops Spezza from side of net ... Anderson pad stop on Malkin down low ... Karlsson’s shot sneaks through pads and sits on goal-line ... Good pad stop by Fleury on Condra ... Malkin scores in the shootout to give Pens win.

SHOTS: OTT 11, PIT 11

THREE STARS

Evgeni Malkin, PIT: Scored the winner in the shootout and perfect setup for James Neal on opening goal. Had chances.

Colin Greening, OTT: Playing with Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek, he looked right at home a goal and 17:44 ice time.

Erik Condra, OTT: If he could have scored on some of the chance he had he would been dangerous. Solid effort.

THUMBS UP

Craig Anderson was a big reason the Senators got a point, but he would have liked a save or two in the shootout.

THUMBS DOWN

The officials. Francois Charron and Marc Joannette didn’t do a very good job and left a lot to be desired.

TURNING POINT

Greening’s goal at 13:44 of the second period gave the Senators a jump in their step they badly needed.

Craig Anderson comes up short as Pittsburgh Penguins drop Ottawa Senators in shootout at the Bank

Craig Anderson wore a sour look on his face Sunday night.
The Senators No. 1 goaltender has saved his teammates plenty of times this season, but he was disgusted he couldn’t help them get the extra point in a 2-1 shootout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in front of 20,081 at Scotiabank Place.
Though Anderson made 33 stops in regulation, he came up a couple of saves short as all three Penguins _ including Evgeni Malkin with the winner _ scored in the skills contest to allow Pittsburgh to skate away with the extra point.